MC offering forensic service to neighbors

Published 6:15 pm, Sunday, July 24, 2011

Now that its forensic services department is up and running, Montgomery County is looking how it can lessen the financial blow.

To achieve that goal, county officials are marketing their new medical examiner’s office to neighboring counties.

After more than a year of shipping autopsies to the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office, Montgomery County opened the doors to its facility on May 2. Then, at its July 11 meeting, Commissioners Court offered its forensic services to Walker County, and it is anticipated Montgomery County will provide the same service to Madison and Grimes counties.

Montgomery County has established a fee schedule of $1,800 for each standard autopsy. A Level II autopsy that includes expanded testing starts at $2,100.

If that sounds steep, Dallas County charges $1,950 and $2,500 respectively, and those figures do not include travel and other ancillary costs - which could easily surpass $600 a day.

“We believe the rate we’ve established is a very fair one,” said Phyllis Rainey, assistant attorney with the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office. “We realize this facility could have the potential to generate positive cash flow for the county, but we have to take a measured approach. We can’t attract more cases than two doctors can handle.”

As Montgomery County commissioners wait to hear the responses, they spend this week dealing with the proposed 2011-12 budget of $247 million. Hearings start today after county commissioners hold their regular meeting starting at 9:30 a.m. today.